Using RCBS Competition "window" seating die for other cartridges?

IMtheNRA · December 3, 2020, 04:47 PM

Specifically, I'm wondering if I can use my .22-250 seating die for loading .223 without any bad side effects on the finished cartridge.

At first, I anticipated having to change out the sliding sleeve that rests on top of the case as the case is lifted into the die. However, the sleeve is marked simply "22 cal" without any reference to a specific cartridge. I noticed that a .223 case body is not gripped snugly by this sleeve, unlike in my Redding Competition dies. Perhaps that's by design, and RCBS uses the same sleeve for both .22-250 and .223 and the lack of a snug fit is intentional...

It's not easy getting through to tech support right now, so I'm hoping that someone here has already done the research.

This is the die that requires a super tall shell holder, and for use only on single stage presses. Here's a link to the die in question:

https://www.grafs.com/catalog/product/productId/13662

hounddawg · December 4, 2020, 08:15 AM

try it as long as nothing needs excessive force. I use a Forster .308 micrometer seating die for my .260 Rem and get .5 MOA (5 shot) groups out to 800 yards

I use a RCBS window seater for my .223's also and it is the cat's pajamas for those tiny bullets, has saved me a lot of finger pinches

IMtheNRA · December 4, 2020, 08:53 AM

I did, and it made a perfect looking cartridge. The next step is to make up a test batch and check for any loss of accuracy.

hounddawg · December 4, 2020, 09:00 AM

you should be good to go, I have certainly never seen any loss of accuracy in competition with that .260 and I have been using that .308 die to seat for over ten years.

I also tried a Wilson inline seating die for .260 and saw no changes other than a increase in "feel" when seating which did not seem to make a darn on paper

December 3, 2020, 04:47 PM	#1
IMtheNRA Senior Member Join Date: January 27, 2001 Posts: 298	Using RCBS Competition "window" seating die for other cartridges? Specifically, I'm wondering if I can use my .22-250 seating die for loading .223 without any bad side effects on the finished cartridge. At first, I anticipated having to change out the sliding sleeve that rests on top of the case as the case is lifted into the die. However, the sleeve is marked simply "22 cal" without any reference to a specific cartridge. I noticed that a .223 case body is not gripped snugly by this sleeve, unlike in my Redding Competition dies. Perhaps that's by design, and RCBS uses the same sleeve for both .22-250 and .223 and the lack of a snug fit is intentional... It's not easy getting through to tech support right now, so I'm hoping that someone here has already done the research. This is the die that requires a super tall shell holder, and for use only on single stage presses. Here's a link to the die in question: https://www.grafs.com/catalog/product/productId/13662

December 4, 2020, 08:15 AM	#2
hounddawg Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2009 Posts: 4,232	try it as long as nothing needs excessive force. I use a Forster .308 micrometer seating die for my .260 Rem and get .5 MOA (5 shot) groups out to 800 yards I use a RCBS window seater for my .223's also and it is the cat's pajamas for those tiny bullets, has saved me a lot of finger pinches __________________ “How do I get to the next level?” Well, you get to the next level by being the first one on the range and the last one to leave.” – Jerry Miculek

December 4, 2020, 09:00 AM	#4
hounddawg Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2009 Posts: 4,232	you should be good to go, I have certainly never seen any loss of accuracy in competition with that .260 and I have been using that .308 die to seat for over ten years. I also tried a Wilson inline seating die for .260 and saw no changes other than a increase in "feel" when seating which did not seem to make a darn on paper __________________ “How do I get to the next level?” Well, you get to the next level by being the first one on the range and the last one to leave.” – Jerry Miculek

December 4, 2020, 08:53 AM	#3
IMtheNRA Senior Member Join Date: January 27, 2001 Posts: 298	I did, and it made a perfect looking cartridge. The next step is to make up a test batch and check for any loss of accuracy.